1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for the operability of an imaging apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional method enables a user to intuitively execute a function of a camera based on a result of detection of acceleration generated by swinging the camera.
FIGS. 15A, B, and C each illustrate a swinging operation for swinging an imaging apparatus (camera) while looking at a display unit of the imaging apparatus. When a user holds a camera, the user basically holds it with one hand (the right hand if he is right-handed) to keep the horizontal attitude of the camera (FIG. 15A), so that the user can easily press the shutter button.
When the user swings the camera, the user swings the camera up and down from the horizontal attitude of the camera around his wrist or elbow. Therefore, when the user swings down the imaging apparatus, the user swings the camera up from the horizontal attitude at first and then he swings it down.
In swinging up the imaging apparatus, the imaging apparatus is swung in a manner illustrated in FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C in this order of changing attitudes. On the other hand, in swinging down the imaging apparatus, the attitude of the imaging apparatus is changed in a reversed order.
More specifically, because a user may basically hold a camera in the horizontal camera attitude (FIG. 15A) with his dominant hand, the user, in swinging down the camera (the primary operation), may often swing the camera up (a preparatory operation) before swinging it down (the primary operation). Furthermore, in swinging up the camera (the primary operation), may often swing the camera down (a preparatory operation) before swinging it up (the primary operation) to swing the camera with a sufficient level of swinging force.
Japanese Patent No. 04009887 discusses a method that enables allocation of different camera functions to different camera swinging operations in axial directions of detecting acceleration. More specifically, the method discussed in Japanese Patent No. 04009887 discusses a camera having an acceleration sensor for sensing an acceleration in ±X, ±Y, and ±Z directions and configured to execute an operation correspondingly allocated to each of the axes if it is determined that the level of the acceleration in each axis has exceeded a threshold value.
However, it is difficult for a user to swing a camera precisely in an axial direction for detecting the acceleration because a camera swinging operation may be subjected to an affect from the user's rotational motion around his articulations. Accordingly, an acceleration may often be generated in a direction different from the axial direction for detecting the acceleration. Therefore, if a conventional method is used that determines whether the acceleration have exceeded a threshold value, a swinging operation in a direction different from the primary operation may be detected as the primary operation. Accordingly, the accuracy of detecting the acceleration is low.
Furthermore, in the above-described conventional method, a camera capable of detecting acceleration executes a function allocated to the primary operation if it is determined that the user has executed the intended camera swinging operation after the waveform of a conventional primary operation is detected. Therefore, a time lag may arise between the timing of the swinging operation and the timing of executing the intended function. Principally because of the time lag, in the conventional method, a user cannot intuitively operate the imaging apparatus.